Sprinkler-head for automatic fire-extinguishers.



PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

J. HUNT. SPRINKLER HEAD FOR AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.

' APPLICATION FILED FIE-R16, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

' I J. HUNT. SPRINKLER HEAD FOR AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 N0 MODEL.

a naw Patented September 27, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrron.

JARVIS HUNT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PHOENIX FIRE EXTINGUISHERCO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SPRINKLER-HEAD FOR AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHERS.

:1 SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,755, datedSeptember 27, 1904.

Application filed February 15, 1904. Serial No. 193,616. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JARVIS HUNT, a citizen of the United tates, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Sprinkler-Heads for AutomaticFire-EX- tinguishers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a strut for holding the cap or valve ofthe sprinkler-head seated.

It is well understood by those skilled in the art that the parts of thevalve-holding device,

whatever be its construction, are held together by solder which isfusible at a predetermined temperature-say 155 Fahrenheit. It is alsowell understood that under varying conditions to which the head issubjected it may or may not fire at the temperature previouslydetermined upon. posed that a head far removed from the main valveopens, the water will fill the system between the main valve and theopened head and will therefore react and influence the temperature ofevery intervening head. Hence to the extent that said intervening headsare affected by the passing current of cold water their action will beretarded, so that instead of firing or opening at the aforesaidpredetermined temperature (meaning thereby the temperature of theatmosphere surrounding them) they will not fire until the heat of theatmosphere surrounding them overcomes the chilling or cooling effect ofthe water flowing past them. It is therefore desirable that thischilling or cooling effect he reduced to a minimum, and this is one ofthe objects of the present invention. To this end I place the solderjoint as far as possible from the cap or valve and in a position inwhich it is least liable to be influenced by the absorption of heat bythe water. It is also well understood that the ideal valve-holdingdevice should have a maximum holding power combined with a minimumstrain upon the solder joint under normal temperatures and a minimumholding power with complete and instantaneous rupturing of the solderjoint and separation of For instance, let it be supvide a strut of suchconstruction that external blows have little or no tendency todisarrange the parts or rupture the solder joints between them.

Another object of the invention is to provide a strut having a post witha laterally-projecting arm and a lever so constructed and arranged thatstrains put upon the post tending to tip it will tend to move thelateral arm toward the lever, thereby relieving the solder joint betweenthem of any strain from this cause.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

All of these things are hereinafter more fully described with referenceto the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and inwhich- Figure l is a section of a strut of preferred form embodying theinvention and of the cap and upper portion of the yoke, the cuttingplanebeing indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 4. Figs. 2 and 3 are similarviews of struts embodying some features of the invention undermodifications. Fig. 4: is asectional elevation of a completesprinkler-head having a strut of preferred form embodying the invention.Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the strut.

The improved strut has a part A, herein called a post, which bears atone end against the cap or valve, whence it extends to within a shortdistance of the top of the yoke B, an intervening part C, herein calleda lever, which is interposed between the upper end of the post and topof the yoke, and a key D,

each of which parts has peculiarities hereinafter described.

I am aware that, broadly considered, astrut composed of a post, a lever,anda key somewhat resembling the corresponding parts of the strut of thepresent application is not new,

I the arm projects laterally.

The lever G crosses the plane of the post,or,

, more particularly, the line of thrust through the post and has a shortarm 0, which bears against the yoke, and a longer arm which lies againstand is soldered to the laterallyprojecting arm a of the post, and thislonger arm is provided with a shoulder 0", which is engaged by the keyor locking-plate D, which also is soldered to the-lateral arm aofthepost. Several arrangements of this key are shown in the drawings. Ineach instance the lever C has a branch 0 which crosses the plane of thearm a and has a shoulder adapted to engage the key. In the form shown inFig. 1 the branch 0 is beyond the extremity of the arm a and the keyprojects beyond said arm far enough to engage the shoulder. The cornerat the junction of the extremity and under side of the arm a and thecorner at the junctionof the extremity and upper side of the shoulder 0form fulcrums upon which the key rocks in firing. In this form thebranch 0 and shoulder c" overhang the end of the key and protect it fromblows that might dislodge it or weaken the solder joint by which it issecured to the under side of the arm. In the forms shown in Figs. 2 and3 the arm a has an opening through it and the branch 0 extends throughit. The two forms difier only in that the shoulders are presented indifferent directions. 1n each of these two forms thekey is of less'widththanthe 0pening,and in firing the end of the key moves into the opening.In both of these modified forms of the device the lateral branch of thelever, its shoulder, and the end of the key play in or through theopening in the lateral arm of the post as the parts are separating, andthis is obj ectionable. In fact, any arrangement of parts which makes itnecessary for two soldered surfaces to slip or slide or drag upon oralong one another either in direct contact with each other or so nearlyin contact that the space between them is filled more or less withsolder is objectionable. This is because (taking either of the twomodified forms of applicants device as an example) the difference in thelength of the two arms of the lever is such that at the point where thisslipping or sliding or dragging action takes place each unit ofresistance to the movement of the lever has an enormous advantage overeach unit of power applied to the short arm of the lever. This being soeven the slight resistance produced by the capillary attraction oradhesion due to the presence of the melted solder may retard themovement of the parts to the extent of sluggishness, and where one parthas to pass another with a sliding or shear-like action a small granuleor piece of grit or other foreign substance in the solder willabsolutely prevent orarrest their movement. It is for these reasons thatI prefer the form shown in Fig. 1, in which the key-fulcrum of thelever'is wholly beyond the extremity of said arm. For a like reason themeeting faces of the lateral arm and key are plane, neither the lateralarm nor the key having any part or feature crossing the plane of theirmeeting faces; It is found in actual practice that when thus constructedthe instant the firing temperature is reached the movement of the partsin separating is too rapid for the eye to follow. It will be seen thatthe solder joint is as far removed from the cap as possible, and that byreason of the laterally-extending arm the joint is exposed on all sides.make it less susceptible to the influence of the water in the system andmore susceptible to the heat of the surrounding atmosphere.

The present invention is characterized; by

an individual post which extends from the cap or valve to within a shortdistance of the upper part of the yoke or corresponding element, saidpost being provided with a lateral arm or projection, to which issecured the longer arm of a lever which crosses the plane of the post,the shorter arm on one side of said plane being adapted to receive thethrust or pressure from the yoke, while the longer arm is secured to thelateral arm or projection of the post by some suitable means, preferablyincluding a key or locking-plate. The only thing intervening between theend of the post and the top of the yoke is the thickness of the lever,and in this respect the strut cliffers from many of those alreadypatented and some of which have long been in public use in that thelatter are made up of two posts of equal or substantially equal lengthplaced end to end. i

I am aware of the Grinnell sprinkler, which has been in use for a numberof years and which has a post and a lever which crosses the generalplane of the post with only the thickness of the lever interveningbetween the end of the post and the yoke; but the present inventioninvolves not only these two elements, but the lateral arm or projectionon the post itself and the means for securing the longer arm of thelever to this projection.

Referring now to Fig. 5, 1 represents the These conditions rockingcenter of the post; 2, the rocking centhe line of thrust through thestrut while the joints are intact; 1 3, the line of thrust through thepost when the joint is ruptured; 2 3, the line of thrust through thelever when the joint is ruptured; 5 8 and 6 9, the paths in which thefulcrums 5 and 6 move, respectively, whenthe jointis ruptured. Thecontacting surfaces of the arm and lever are located between parallellines touching the points 1 and 3 and at right angles to the straightline 1 3, connecting them, this position being hereinafter referred toas between the ends of the post. By reason of this position of the armand lever and the further fact that they form an acute angle with thepost (or, more strictly speaking, with the line 1 3) the tipping of thepost or its tendency to tip moves or tends to move the arm toward thelever, and under no condition does the arm move away from the lever.Thus the solder joint between them is largely relieved of any strain putupon the post, whether it be the endwise strain incident to the pressureupon it while the joints remain intact or the lateral strain incident tothe lateral pressure of the lever against its upper end when the jointgives way or lateral strain incident to a blow put upon it from the sideremote from the lever. These conditions will exist with the lines 1 3and I 3 at any angle up to a right angle, and when the right angle isreached the arm will move or tend to move away from the lever. In thisrespect, among others, the strut of the present application differs fromstruts made of two posts of equal or substantially equal length andhaving lateral arms meeting upon a line which is perpendicular to astraight line drawn through their rocking centers. By making the post ofthe maximum length possible the movement of its upper end produced orpermitted by the movement of the lever to the extent necessary toentirely clear the key is reduced to a minimum, and the fulcrum 5, beinglocated between the ends of the post, will have even less movement, sothat the latter does not to any appreciable extent approach the path ofthe fulcrum 6, so as to either retard the rocking action of the key orpinch it. ()n the other hand, by reason of the great difference in thelength of the two arms of the lever the fulcrum 6 moves with great speedand dislodges the key almost before the fulcrum 5 has moved from itsoriginal position. The point of contact 3 between the post and lever ispractically on a line drawn from the fulcrum 6 to the rocking center 2,and the key itself is disposed in the same general direction, and byreason of this the strains put upon the key are substantially at rightangles to it and the movement of that portion of the key which issoldered to the arm is directly away from it, so that all tendency toslide or creep is avoided.

\Vith the parts arranged as shown in the drawings the fulcrum 5 movesaway from the key; but this part of the invention is satisfied so longas it moves in a path which is outside of the fulcrum 6. If the fulcrum5 moved in a path inside of the fulcrum 6, (a condition which may bebrought about by changing the angular relations of the parts,) it wouldbear upon the key at a point between the fulcrum 6 and that portionwhich is soldered to the arm a, and thus exert a constant strain uponthe. key, tending to rupture the joint that holds it.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In asprinkler-head, the combination of a post having between its endsa lateral arm, a lever bearing upon one end of the post and having anarm lying against the lateral arm of the post, and means for securingthe lever and lateral arm together, said lever and lateral arm formingan acute angle with the post, substantially as described.

2. In a sprinkler-head, the combination of a post having between itsends a lateral arm, a lever, bearing upon one end of the post and havingan arm lying against the lateral arm of the post, and means for securingthe lever and lateral arm together, said lever and lateral arm formingan acute angle with the post and the bearing-point of the lever upon thepost being in line with the contacting surfaces of the lateral arm andlever, substantially as described.

3. In a sprinkler-head the combination of a post havingbetween its endsa lateral arm, and a lever. bearing upon one end of the post andcomprising ashort arm having on one side of the post a rocking center,and a long arm on the other side of the post lying against the lateralarm thereof and means for securing the lever and lateral arm together,said lateral arm and lever forming an acute angle with the post and thebearing-point of the lever upon the post and a rocking center of thelever being in line with the contacting surfaces of the lateral arm andlever, substantially as described.

f. In a sprinkler-head the combination of a post having between its endsa lateral arm, a lever, bearing upon one end of the post and comprisinga short arm having on one side of the post a rocking center and a longarm on the other side of the post, a key engaging the lateral arm andlever, and means for securing the key in place, the rocking center ofthe lever, its bearing-point upon the post, and its point of contactwith the key being in line with each other, substantially as described.

5. In a sprinkler-head the combination of a post having between its endsa lateral arm, a lever bearing upon one end of the post and comprising ashort arm having a rocking center on one side of the postand a long armon the other side of the post, a key engaging the lateral arm and leverand a solder joint for holding the key in place, rocking center of thelever, its bearing-point upon the post and its point of contact with thekey being in a line which forms an acute angle with the post,substantially as described.

6. In a sprinkler-head, the combination of a post having between itsends a lateral arm, a lever bearing upon one end of the post andcomprising a short arm having a rocking center on one side of the postand a long arm on the other side of the post, said long arm having ashoulder, a key engaging the shoulder and lateral arm of the post, and asolder joint for holding the key in place, the key being disposed 'inthe direction of a line extending from the rocking center of the leverto the shoulder, substantially as described.

7 In a sprinkler-head, the combination of a post having a lateral arm, alever bearing upon one end of the post and comprising a short arm havinga rocking centeronone side of the post, and a long arm on the other sideof the post, said long arm having a branch which crosses the plane ofthe lateral arm and is provided with a shoulder presented toward thepost, a key lying against the under side of the lateral arm and engagingsaid shoulder, whereby the extremity of the key is protected by thelateral branch of the lever, and means for holding the key in place,substantially as described.

8'. In a sprinkler-head, the combination of a post having a lateral armterminating at its extremity between the ends of the post, a leverbearing upon the end of the post and comprising a short arm having onone side of the post, a rocking center, and a long arm on the other sideof the post, said long arm extending beyond the lateral arm of the postand having a lateral branch which crosses the plane of said lateral armand is provided with a shoulder, a key arranged against the lateral armof the post and engaging the shoulder, and means for holding the key inplace, the rocking center of the lever, its bearing-point upon the postand the shoulder of the lever being in line with each other,substantially as post a rocking center, and a long arm on the other sideof the post, said long arm extending beyond the lateral arm of the post,and having a lateral branch which crosses the plane of said lateral armand is provided with a shoulder, a key arranged against the lateral armof the post and engaging the shoulder, and means for holding the key inplace, the rocking center of the lever, its bearing-point upon the postand the shoulder of the lever being located upon a line which forms anacute angle with the post, substantially as described.

10. In a sprinkler-head the combination of a post having a lateral arm,a lever bearing upon the post and comprising a short arm havinga'rocking center on one side of the post and a long arm on the otherside of the post, and a key engaging the lateral armand lever, saidlateral arm and lever having keyfulcrums, both located between the endsof the post and each located within the path in which the other moves asthe parts are separating, substantially as described.

11. In asprinkler-head the combination of a post having a lateral arm, alever, bearing upon one end of the post and comprising a short armhaving on one side of the post a rocking center, and a long arm on theother side of the post, and a key engaging the lateral arm and lever,the lever being provided with a fulcrum upon which the key rocks as theparts separate, and the arm being provided with a fulcrum upon which thekey rocks as the parts separate, the key-fulcrum of the arm being sodisposed with relation to the rocking center of the post that it movesin a path outside of the key-fulcrum of the ing provided with ashoulder, and a key lying against the shorter arm and projecting beyondthe extremity thereof and engaging said shoulder, the parts beingsoldered together, substantially as described.

18. In a sprinkler-head, the combination of a post, a lever bearing uponthe post, the post and lever having arms of unequal length disposedlaterally with respect to the post, the longer of said arms beingprovided with a lateral branch located wholly beyond the extremity ofthe shorter arm and provided with a shoulder presented toward theextremity of the shorter arm, and a key lying against the shorter armand projecting beyond the extremity thereof and engaging said shoulder,the parts being secured together by solder,

substantially as described.

1 1. In a sprinkler-head, the combination of a post, a lever bearingupon the post, the post and lever having arms disposed laterally withrespect to the post, one of said arms being provided with a key-fulcrum,and a key lying against said arm and extending past said fulcrum, andthe other of saidarms being provided with a lateral branchlocated beyondthe extremity of the key and crossing the plane thereof, said branchbeing provided with a shoulder presented toward the key and engaging itsend, substantially as described.

JARVIS HUNT.

Witnesses: 4

W. E. KLEINPELL, L. M. HOPKINS.

